But, how do I go about this I ask?How would I compose my garden to furnish inspiration foroil and watercolor paintings? The first three things that come to mind are composition, texture and warm and cool colors.
Well, that's four things but I'll use warm and cool colors as one.
A composition needs a focal point, something that is smashing and eye catching.
That focal point might be a trellis with a humming bird vine trained over it.
Since texture and warm and cool colors are so important, the green lacy leaf of the vine and the small red trumpet flowers give contrast as they provide texture and a primary and secondary color.
And, who doesn't like humming birds in the garden and in our paintings? Texture and height may also be added through such plants as the elephant ear.
Placed just in front of the trellis with it's large green leaf, flowing gently in the spring breeze, adding a cool color as well as movement.
Astilbe in front of the elephant ear will add warm color with it's pink spikes and more texture.
Lambs ear forms a base and bears soft pink flowers and a fuzzy gray leaf, offering a neutral hue to the garden and the palette.
Warm and cool colors?You need more?Add red cushions to a seating area nearby, surround the seating with potted impatiens that provide additional warm and cool colors through out the summer.
Please join me in this peaceful and colorful place, let's sit with a sketch book and our easels and enjoy this special place.
Can't wait to get my wheelbarrow, etc to work in the garden and my painting supplies to start on this great painting.
There is just one more suggestion that needs to be made before we begin.
Each element in a landscape and a landscape painting presents its own challenges.
Drawing plans for the garden and thumbnail sketches takes time and skill but we need to be patient, keeping our minds quiet and let Mother nature tell us how she would like her garden to grow, whether it be in our yards or in our paintings.